The Namibian government will negotiate with the fishing industry to employ more than 500 fishermen who earlier this year resigned en masse at Walvis Bay.

This was revealed by the Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Derek Klazen.

During his annual address in Walvis Bay, the minister stated that the government is doing everything possible to get the group of fishermen employed.

Three fishing companies, Cavema Fishing Joint Venture, Hodago, Camoposatu, and Venier Investment, agreed in 2020 to place them on their payroll in exchange for fishing quotas from the government.

Unfortunately, the companies have been struggling to find active employment for the fishermen since the deal was struck.

"As a ministry, we need to see how many people are not going to be gainfully employed when we sit with the companies; the ministry does not have work for those people; the only people who possibly have work for them are the industries themselves. So now we are going to ask the industry, who of you has work for these people and can give them actual employment?" inquired the minister.

Erongo Governor Neville Andre, who was part of the negotiations, says trade unions no longer form part of the negotiations following accusations of favoritism.

The negotiations for active employment will be handled by the Fisheries Ministry and that of Labor, as well as the Governor's Office and fishing companies.

"When we take that approach, one union claims that the governor's office benefits the other union more in terms of getting workers to their sites or to the union itself, and I think we wanted fairness and peace among unions, which is what we did with the unions. As a result, the governor's office will continue to engage companies directly without involving unions," Andre explained.

Meanwhile, the more than 500 workers who recently resigned have withdrawn their mass resignations, and the Cavema Joint Venture has decided to put their names back on the payroll.

However, the arrangement, where they receive a N$4,000 monthly allowance without active employment, is set to come to an end in December, rendering them once again without an income.